I first of all want to give my admiration to how and what articles were written for the nine eleven anniversary.

One thing caught my eye, and honestly made me feel sick to my stomach. Stephanie Peterson wrote a great article on the front page of the Daily on Tuesday, September 10, 2002, called “Teachers plan for 9/11 anniversary.” One professor that was interviewed in Stephanie’s article was Christopher Ball, lecturer in political science. I have never met Professor Ball, but what he said disturbed me a great deal. He did say “the anniversary would be mentioned at the beginning of his classes, then business will go on as usual.” But then next he is quoted on saying “since Iowa is not that close to where the events happened, discussion is not necessary.” That is one of the most horrific statements I have ever read in the Daily. To think that a professor that teaches at the university that I attend, the university that I love said something so degrading is a kick in the face to myself as well as fellow students and staff at Iowa State University. I want to include something Andy Rooney said recently regarding the anniversary:

“We all look for something good about the worst things that happen. The good thing about what happened September 11th is it just didn’t happen to New York and Washington – it happened to our country – all of us. Americans feel closer together than they did before that terrible day. People to whom New York had been a foreign country suddenly felt an affinity and an affection for it.”

Thank you very much for your time and hard work at the Daily.

Wes A. Powell

Business Major

Junior